Accreditation Categories
NAESCO offers three categories of Accreditation for companies in the energy service business: Energy Service Company (ESCO), Energy Service Provider (ESP) and Energy Efficiency Contractor (EEC).
Energy Service Company (ESCO)
ESCOs develop and implement turnkey, comprehensive energy efficiency projects. ESCOs offer performance-based contracts (i.e., contracts that tie the compensation of the ESCO to the energy savings generated by the project) as a significant part of their business. To gain accreditation, ESCOs must demonstrate the technical and managerial competence to design and implement projects involving multiple technologies, including:
- Lighting
- Motors and Drives
- HVAC Systems
- Control Systems
- Building Envelope Improvements
ESCOs must also demonstrate the ability to provide the full range of services required for a comprehensive energy efficiency project, including:
- Energy Audits
- Design Engineering
- Providing or Arranging Project Financing
- Construction Management
- Commissioning
- Operations and Maintenance of Energy Efficiency Technologies
- Verifying Energy Savings
Energy Service Provider (ESP)
ESPs in most instances will offer all of the services offered by ESCOs (see above), and additionally offer energy supply options. These options can include:
- Development and implementation of build/own/operate distributed generation, cogeneration or combined heat and power (CHP) projects;
- Arrangement of firm contracting of energy supply.
Energy Efficiency Contractor (EEC)
EECs offer some, but not all, of the services of an ESCO (see above). EECs typically concentrate on one energy efficiency measure (e.g., lighting) or one type of service (e.g., engineering or project management), but can offer multiple measures or services. EECs typically work as subcontractors to ESCOs or ESPs.
